Gibbs On Watch
by Jilly Beany
Summary: There was no escaping when Gibbs was on watch. Especially when your a grounded Tony. Father/Son one shot with some small references to spanking.


Gibbs on watch.

A father/son one shot with a grown up Tony and an amusing Gibbs. Some small references to spanking.

* * *

When he was six Tony Gibbs punched a local boy all because he said Shannon Gibbs was fat. He understood that he shouldn't punch other kids but Gibbs couldn't disagree that you look out for your own.

When he was ten Tony made a little boy cry because he snatched back Kelly Gibbs doll. Gibbs had spanked him and made him understand that he couldn't be a bully himself but he did right by his sister.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs had rules that his son would have to follow and Tony accepted those rules because his father was more loving then he was strict.

And when Shannon and Kelly Gibbs were killed Tony wanted his father to punish him more then ever because he was meant to care for them while his father was serving his country. But Gibbs just held his son each night promising that he would never leave him and promised to be enough for him.

The spankings stopped when Tony was sixteen years old because both men knew Tony was far too big to be punished that way and so the head slaps began.

Tony grew accustomed to them when he joined NCIS and despite complaining about them to his father and anyone else who would listen Tony was actually jealous when Gibbs hit anyone else.

A month ago Tony was laying near death and he knew his father was hurting every time he sat next to him in the hospital.

When Gibbs gave an order you was expected to follow and Tony was not going to disobey his father even it meant fighting the plague.

But after a month Tony was strong enough to fight his father and that included his latest punishment. He was grateful that his father had forced him to stay at the Gibbs home and he was grateful for everything he done for him but he wasn't grateful for being grounded.

If his coughing fit hadn't robbed him of his breath he would have fought a little harder to be allowed to leave the house but Tony could only lay watching as Gibbs smirked at him and left the room.

One day he made it down the stairs before Gibbs hit him around the back of the head and forced him back to his room.

Another day he made it to the front door before he was hit again and forced back to bed and told he was grounded for another three weeks.

Yesterday he had made it to the front steps before a hand grabbed his arm and he was forced into the living room where to his utter disbelief he was bent over slightly and hit with a belt.

Gibbs sat with him all last night making him understand that he was still his father and it really hurt him more to punish Tony.

But tonight, well, tonight he was going to make it at least to the car even if he did get another spanking.

Creeping down the stairs a feeling tightened his chest and Tony feared he would start coughing again and the last time he got up for his own water without calling for Gibbs had resulted in Gibbs sitting with Tony _all _day.

But after a few seconds the feeling passed and Tony felt strong enough to try again.

He stepped off the last step with a sigh and listened to make sure he hadn't awoke Gibbs, assured he hadn't he carried on to the front door only to stop when he heard breathing from the living room.

Fearing he had been caught he spun only to find someone sleeping on the couch. Creeping in Tony was ready for his father to start scolding him before sending him back to bed but Tony instead found his father passed out with a book laying on the ground.

Watching the older Gibbs Tony couldn't help but smile. For the past month Gibbs had seemed like the over bearing father, never letting his son get sick.

But Tony knew and was trying hard to ignore the guilt each time Gibbs raced to his side. Gibbs felt guilty for letting Tony get that sick and if Tony hadn't been so strong willed he would have just let his father wear himself out as punishment.

Shannon wasn't there to limit Gibbs. Jackson Gibbs was too far away to offer lessons on what a single father should do and Ducky knew his own limits when it came to giving Gibbs advice.

With a sigh Tony knew he was giving up even as he reached for the blanket over the back of the sofa but for the first time in a month he didn't want to fight it.

He would be grounded for another three weeks because even he knew he wasn't going anywhere with Jethro Gibbs on watch.

And though it was embarrassing for a grown man to be grounded it was just something that happened in the Gibbs family.

Pulling the blanket over the older man Tony nearly jumped ten feet in the air when he snapped awake and stiffened as his surroundings settled in.

"Tony" Gibbs questioned already sitting up as Tony winched knowing he was probably in trouble again.

"I needed a drink" he offered as Gibbs frowned before giving him a look to which Tony smiled slightly.

"You could have called me" Gibbs warned causing Tony to shake his head.

"I cough if I breath in too deeply how was I meant to shout out for you dad" Tony questioned watching with relief when Gibbs nodded in agreement.

"Go back up" "I'm not tired dad" Tony admitted causing Gibbs to rise to his feet and got that look that meant Tony was going to be forced up stairs.

"Couldn't we watch some TV" Tony quickly questioned watching as Gibbs raised an eyebrow before giving into his son and nodding.

"Anything you want to watch" Gibbs asked as he slumped down and Tony quickly sat down not even moaning when Gibbs wrapped the blanket around him.

"No" Tony admitted while he snuggled under the cover ignoring the smug look that crossed Gibbs face.

"An hour tops" Gibbs ordered as he grabbed the remote and turned the TV on turning to some movie that held no interest for either of them.

"But dad" Tony laughed gaining a look from Gibbs who soon laughed and shook his head.

The pair sat in silence watching the actors on the screen just happy to be sitting together.

After a while Gibbs smirked and glanced at Tony who was slowly falling asleep.

"You wouldn't have got far with out the keys" Gibbs declared causing Tony to frown and look at him before smiling.

"I hid the keys after I finished with the boat" Gibbs admitted causing Tony to shake his head and slowly sink into the sofa while Gibbs lifted his feet on to the table.

"You knew I was going to try again" Tony questioned as he glanced at Gibbs who snorted and shrugged.

"I expected nothing less from you. When you were twelve you crawled out your window and crawled back in all because you were worried about Kelly wondering off" Gibbs reminded him causing Tony to stare at Gibbs with wide eyes.

"You didn't punish me" "because you were doing it for your sister" Gibbs told him as Tony frowned but still smiled as he turned back to the TV.

"Your still weak" "I'm strong enough to withstand a spanking" Tony pointed out as Gibbs laughed and looked at him.

"I'm not letting you get hurt or sick again" Gibbs admitted as Tony sighed before sitting up and stared down at his hands.

"Growing up I wanted to be like you so much. To have mum and Kelly look at me like they did at you, when they died I wanted to make you understand that if I had been here I would have done everything in my power- even dying- to protect them" Tony admitted causing Gibbs to sit forward to protest but Tony shook his head.

"Every police station, every undercover job I always tried to be like you and when I joined NCIS I tried really hard to be just like you" Tony admitted before looking at his father.

"But the thing is for all the times I put you on that pedestal I was never going to be like you because that wasn't you and... well I'm OK with not being you because you helped make me who I am now and that is better" Tony declared as Gibbs took a wavering breath and watched his son.

"I'm going to get hurt and sometimes I will do dumb things like nearly dying but it's OK because it's not your fault. You don't have to wear yourself out because you feel guilty. I'll make it through this dad because you helped me be that strong... strong enough to try for three days to get out this house even though I'm grounded" Tony assured watching as Gibbs looked away and took it all in.

"I can't promise I'm going to come back every time but I can promise that I will _try _to come back" Tony admitted causing Gibbs to look at him with one tear in his eye before he nodded at Tony.

"And as long as you promise to stay on watch I'll keep fighting" Tony promised as Gibbs laughed and place a hand on his head.

With a quick rub Gibbs slipped his hand to the back of Tony's neck and pulled the younger man to him to kiss him on his crown before hugging him tightly.

"Your grounded for a month" Gibbs whispered as Tony groaned but still held on to his father.

"And your getting a head slap tomorrow for trying to get out tonight" Gibbs declared as Tony chuckled shaking his head to brush the tears away.

"And I'm going to be on watch until you get the all clear from both Ducky and your doctors" Gibbs ordered as Tony nodded holding back the sob.

It wouldn't matter how old Tony was or where ever he went because Gibbs was his father and he was always going to be on watch.

Not because he was strict but because he always wants to protect his son.

* * *

This idea came to me when I saw a picture of Gibbs with the words 'Gibbs on Watch' printed on it and I couldn't stop my self.


End file.
